This is the first meeting between the two sides who met twice in 2011, splitting the series with each club winning 3-0 on its home pitch.

Portland will look to reverse that trend buy collecting its first road win of 2012, while trying to win just its second game of the season, and end its three-game losing streak after falling to Chivas USA 2-1 at home last Saturday.

The loss dropped the Timbers to eighth place in the conference with a 1-3-1 record.

The game was a huge disappointment for the Timbers who got on the board first– for the first time this season – but could not hold back a Chivas squad that entered the game having scored just one goal in their first four matches.

But to Portland’s surprise, the Rojiblancos wiped away a 1-0 first-half deficit and rallied in an overall dominating second half to notch just their second win of the year.

This was a game that Portland should have won.

The Timbers lone goal came via designated player Kris Boydin the 16th minute, who after joining the MLS this season as one of the most prolific strikers in Scottish football, scoring 164 goals in 296 appearances in the Scottish Premier League, has held up his end of the bargain accounting for two of Portland’s seven goals in five games.

With both teams down, who will rise up?

That’s just shy of leading goal scorer, midfielder Darlington Nagbe, who has tallied three so far, including two against Real Salt Lake just two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, injuries or not, Los Angeles’ play must get better. And quickly, as they are now losers of two straight and have just a single win after being voted the West’s preseason favorite.

Last year’s MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield champions have suddenly found themselves in last place in the conference, as they keep waiting for something to go right for their beleaguered defense who continued to struggle, giving up a diving header late in the first half that eventually led to 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

The loss dropped LA to a 1-3-0 start the year, as they have been outscored 8-5 through four matches.

The only good news for the Galaxy was the fact that they got Landon Donovan back from a quadriceps injury last weekend, but will still be without international star David Beckham for the second time this year.

The LA captain stayed home to recuperate from a nagging series of knocks that forced him to come off the bench against New England back on March 31.

It is not clear whether or not he will make the starting XI on Saturday.

This should be a good match, with both teams desperate to get back on the rails before falling farther behind in the standings. A wet playing surface could actually work to the Timbers advantage in this one, as they walk away from a rare road win in LA.